Raleigh offers free curbside grease collection for the holidays

RALEIGH (WTVD) -- Tis the season for families to enjoy time together over a holiday meal. Many of our favorite flavorful family recipes include cooking oil and grease that needs to be disposed of after the meal is done. Home chefs who pour left-over grease or vegetable oil down the drain can cause damage not only with their own home's plumbing but in the city's sewer lines as well.

Improperly disposed of grease is the top cause of sewer overflows. Once it gets into the sewer pipes it congeals with other items not meant to be flushed, like wipes and diapers, creating a "fatberg" that can send waste into the streets, water sources, and homes.

When you keep grease out of the drain you not only prevent it from coming back into your home as the result of a sewer overflow you also protect the environment by providing reuse options like biofuels.

To help Raleigh's cooks this holiday season The city along with Key Energy have teamed up for the holiday season to offer free curbside collection of your cooking waste. All you have to do is place your used cooking grease in a sealed, clear, plastic container labeled "used cooking grease" on the curb by 730 a.m. on your regular garbage pickup day. It will then be recycled into biofuel to power cars and heat homes.

The program runs from November 1 through January 15, 2018. If you'd like more information call the City of Raleigh's Customer Care Center at (919) 336-3245 and select option 2.